IMPORTANT (Please read to avoid confusion):Some items below may be tagged with a bold, red, all-caps "out of print/unavailable" notice. This does NOT mean that all other items not so tagged are, in fact, in stock -- or for that matter, in print and available, though there's a good chance they are. Some folks get confused on this point, and we can see why, so please read this for further clarification and other important before-you-order information. Unlike some mailorder websites, we don't have an electronic inventory system linked to our site, so you can't be sure of what we actually have or don't have in stock at any given moment without asking us -- please email our mailorder department for availability status -- or better yet, just go ahead and place your order using our shopping cart function and we'll get back to you with the status of each item. If you have general non-mailorder questions, email the store.

Z'EVAn Uns Momento / Life Sentense & Save What?(C.I.P.) cd 11.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.In the early '80s, Z'ev had developed the Uns persona to stand outside of the percussive heavy physicality of Z'ev. Uns built a portable unit of 4 Lenco turntables (which have the unique ability to pitch speeds from 0 - 78 rpm), a few tape decks, echo-plex, and a fire-damaged organ to generate a scraping mid-range rumble over which he barked out a cyclical stream of fragmented vocal elements. While the noise elements definitely predate / parallel some of the early noise constructions from Merzbow, the vocals are what keep this record interesting -- as Z'ev would rant and mumble as if caught in a manic fit of Tourette's Syndrome, before catching one interesting phrase in a lock groove for a four or five repetitions ("and you don't know my problem - and it's like crash grass - it's like crash glass - it's like crash glass - and it's uh a clean cut") before continuing on the strange vocalizations. While the noise elements from all of the tracks retain a very similar timbre, the vocals offer the major differentiation for Uns. Fortunately, this piece has ample room between the numerous (99?) tracks for the audience to catch its breath before Z'ev picks up with another semi-comprehensivle ramble. This holds up quite well under the test of time, inspite of / because of the fact that Uns sounds like any of the totally flyin' speed freaks that buzz around the 16th & Mission Bart station.
RealAudio clip: "just initials"

Z'EVHeadphone Musics, 1 to 6(Touch) cd 16.98Z'ev is so admamant that you MUST listen to Headphone Musics, 1 to 6 through state-of-the art headphones that he gripes to any potential reviewer, "If you can't be bothered to listen to this music using headphones, please don't bother to write about it." Well, here I (Jim) am listening to Headphone Music through the Aquarius sound system, -not headphones-, which is admittedly not the best in the world, but certainly not the worst; and I'm writing about this record. Tough shit Z'ev. While working under the banner of arcane mysticism and the principals of what he calls "rhythmajik," Z'ev has manifested a multi-faceted approach to his sound productions which ranges from physically exhausting percussive workouts with huge chains and tumbling metal drums to varispeed minimalist concoctions for feedback and tape hiss. This collection of Headphone Music falls smack in the middle of those two extremes with plenty of textural gestures delivered from his arsenal of scavenged metals which dissolve into disarmingly contemplative pieces of aggregate dronemusik. Z'ev's right, the general sound quality of this with its concentration of mid-range frequencies and the compositional/spatial density of sound does lend itself to headphone listening; but it can also be appreciated in different contexts too as it turns out.
MPEG Stream: "Headphone Musics 1"MPEG Stream: "As Is As"

Z'EVProduction And Decay Of Spacial Relations vs. Reproduction And Decay Of Spatial Relations(Die Stadt) cd 27.00Production And Decay Of Spacial Relations was the very first studio recording (circa 1981) from the avant-percussionist Z'ev, whose heavy metal bashing and interest in occult literature has often earned him a perceived association with industrial culture even though Z'ev is far too much of an individualist to allow himself to be aligned with any particular movement. Definitely far removed from industrial bashers Einsturzende Neubauten and Test Dept., Z'ev wasn't interested at all in how the atonal qualities of his metal percussion could be fused with the context of a song. His work has always been much more about the exploration of sound and spirituality, no matter how convoluted that quest might seem. On this reissue of his first album, Z'ev has joined the seven tracks from the original album with six 'recordings' from 2006 which integrate much of the original source material and incorporate Z'ev's new found interest in digital technology. While Z'ev's digital work resulted in some interesting DSP convolution adding glassy textures to his metallic clang and drone, the original sounds are the reason to check this out. In those percussive metal workouts, Z'ev presents complex interwoven forms that can sometimes be hard to understand, but Z'ev does offer small grooves throughout here and there, scattered throughout his polyrhythmic attacks, which allow the listener access from time to time. Despite the density of these clinks and hammerings, there's something almost tranquil and hypnotic to the work. At the moment, we've got the limited edition version of this release, with the cd in an LP sized package and which comes with a bonus disc of rare and unreleased material from back in the day.
MPEG Stream: "Vuur Uur Le"MPEG Stream: "Op Zoom Ze"

Z'EVRhythmajik(Small Voices) cd 15.98Rhythmajik is self-designed form of metaphysical research for the avant-percussionist Z'ev, who states that his ideas only ask that the listener approach Rhythmajik with "the ability to count and the desire to achieve an intentionally considerate consciousness." While based on the esoteric theologies of Qabbala, Z'ev presented Rhythmajik as an aesthetic form which has much of the convoluted mysticism removed and is thus attempting to demonstrate the trance-enducing / healing properties that are endemic to Rhythmajik. Needless to say, when approaching this CD documenting the percussive / textural applications of his interests in Qabbalist numerology, it is impossible not to get wrapped up in the back-end mythologies behind each track, as the first nine pieces relate to the 9 Stones which in turn refer to numbers 1 through 9, the next 22 pieces reflect the 12 astrological houses, 7 planets, and the 3 primal elements (air, water, and fire), and the album ends on a divination / meditation for the 9 Chambers.Z'ev's ideas behind Rhythmajik are so involved that he actually wrote a book called Rhythmajik, which was published back in 1992 by Temple Press; and it's not all that clear if Small Voices (the label who released this CD) will actually be publishing an Italian version of the Rhythmajik book, but they did fund Z'ev's foray into the studio to record the musical manifestations of these ideas. Z'ev has long been praised for his dynamic percussive talents which sound entirely chaotic and clattering despite the rigorous methodologies that go into his music. Unlike the metal bashing and oil-barrel tumbling which perpetuates any ideas about Z'ev's freeform ethos, the CD program for Rhythmajik is an exceptional album of textual scrapings and metallic resonance with subtle surges of rhythmic repetitions. Barring some backwards-masked overdubbing, the bulk of the recordings appear to be unaltered from their original performative nature, almost giving Rhythmajik the feel of a Keiji Haino record where the performer is alone in a cavernous room communing with the spirits that move him.
MPEG Stream: "Nine"MPEG Stream: "Bet "MPEG Stream: "The Nine Chambers"

Z'EVs/t(Crippled Intellect Productions) 10" 16.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.Super limited blast of clang and clatter from legendary artist/percussionist/performer Z'ev. Limited to 333 copies and packaged between two thick slabs of metal, stamped/numbered. We only got a handful so if you want one act fast. Released in conjuction with an art show in Chicago, this 10" is mostly a clattery percussive workout in a bit ol' room, with lots of natural reverb, however, right in the middle of all this 'pipe fighting' and metallic racket comes a beautifull tranquil drone section of shimmering bowed metals and rumbling reverberations. Quite beautiful.

Z'EVSum Things(Cold Spring) cd 15.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.Z'ev set out to make Sum Things to be his 'dark ambient' record, but with a few restrictions that he imposed upon himself. The first was to use only sources from his vast archive of percussive rituals and explorations with metallic resonance; the second was to use a limited sampling strategy of time-stretching and pitch shifting his sources. With reverb being so central to so many dark ambient projects (most notably Lustmord's recordings of catacombs and subterranean caves specifically for their dank reverberations), Z'ev's reductions are duly noted throughout Sum Things; and at the same time, he's left behind much of the digital artifacts endemic to his sampling tricks. The thunderous metallic rumbles and slippery timbral slashes of sound evolve into shimmering pools of sustained sound. Many of his metallic sounds chime with the sonorous quality of Javanese gamelan, although with the aid of Z'ev's timestretching, he's rendered these sounds into darkly beautiful sets of arcing drones. With more allusions to the wire recordings of Alan Lamb, the sound sculptures of Harry Bertoia, and even some of Andrew Chalk's more aggressive pieces, Sum Things ranks as one of Z'ev's best productions in years.
MPEG Stream: "Track 2"MPEG Stream: "Track 3"MPEG Stream: "Track 4"

Z'EV / JOHN DUNCAN / AIDAN BAKER / FEAR FALLS BURNINGsplit(Die Stadt) 2cd+2x7" 32.00THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.Back in October, 2005, Die Stadt invited these four artists to perform at the Lagerhaus in Bremen; and consequently released this curious double seven inch / double CD in conjunction with that concert. The seven inches contains exclusive tracks by each of the artists, and the CD consists of remixes by those same artists, reworking the original material from the seven inches. For his seven-inch piece, Z'ev piece delves into the archives of his performance from the now legendary Atonal Festival dating back to 1983, for an intense mix of his percussive clamour. On the CD, Z'ev gets to mix Duncan's impeccable shortwave / drone composition, and Duncan returns the favor by transforming Z'ev's percussive work into a skittering, time-stretched blur of noise. Aidan Baker (whose name may be to familar to some from the Nadja album on Alien8 we made Record of the Week so recently, as that's his band) provides a deep driftscape more in keeping with Troum or Jonathan Coleclough; his remix of Fear Falls Burning (which is the nom de plume for Vidna Obmana) continues along a similarly dark path. Like the Vidna Obmana work, Fear Falls Burning mirrors the classic ambient works of Brian Eno, both in the original piece on the seven inch and in the remix of Baker's work. This version is strictly limited to 300 copies.
MPEG Stream: JOHN DUNCAN "bkg"MPEG Stream: FEAR FALLS BURNING "Drone Four"

Z'EV / JOHN DUNCAN / AIDAN BAKER / FEAR FALLS BURNINGsplit(Die Stadt) 2x7" 21.00THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.Back in October, 2005, Die Stadt invited these four artists to perform at the Lagerhaus in Bremen; and consequently released this double seven inch in conjunction with that concert. These 7"s contains exclusive tracks by each of the artists. For his seven-inch piece, Z'ev piece delves into the archives of his performance from the now legendary Atonal Festival dating back to 1983, for an intense mix of his percussive clamour. Duncan offers an impeccable shortwave / drone composition, Aidan Baker (whose name may be to familar to some from the Nadja album on Alien8 we made Record of the Week so recently, as that's his band) provides a deep driftscape more in keeping with Troum or Jonathan Coleclough; and Fear Falls Burning mirrors the classic ambient works of Brian Eno. The double seven inch is limited to 600 copies.

Z'EV VS PITAColchester Arts Centre(Mego) cd 17.98

Z-TRIPAll-Pro Soundtrack(Decon Media) cd 14.98

Z-TRIPLive: Los Angeles, CA 2003cd 14.98This sold like gangbusters last time we had it, and we ran out pretty quick. Well, it got repressed so we have some more. As always, not sure how long they will last. But folks who missed out last time get one more chance! For most AQ customers, DJ Z-Trip needs no introduction. Nor does this new live, limited edition (natch) cd from Z-Trip need much of a description! He's the man, what can we say? Along with DJs Jester and Q-bert, Z-Trip is one of AQ's favorite turntablists, always delightfully mashing up the hip hop with classic rock (and doing it *live* not on a computer, as he points out in his liner notes, and as you'll hear on this cd). Sure it's a gimmick, but it works! Plus he's playing this stuff 'cause he loves it. Here he provides 74 more minutes of 'Uneasy Listening' for fans, "to hold you over 'til the major label album drops" as it says on the back of the cd. Sure sounds like a party. Janis Joplin, Outkast, Tool, Black Sabbath, Rush, Run-DMC, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Joan Jett, Pink Floyd, Nirvana, and a zillion other disparate artists all feed into the Z-Trip blender as he shows off his ADD DJing skills at mixing the beats and riffs. Cutting stuff up the way he does, you'll actually hear more classic rock in the 74 minutes of this cd than you would over the same span of time on a radio station like The Bone, ferchrisakes! Z-Trip was kind enough to bring some by the store himself when he was just in town on tour, and he told us he didn't make a whole heck of a lot of 'em -- this is definitely not gonna be in print for long, so be quick or be deadly bummed you didn't get this rockin' Z-Trip document.
MPEG Stream: "track 3"MPEG Stream: "track 4"MPEG Stream: "track 7"

Z-TRIPShifting Gears(Hollywood Records) cd 10.98Shifting gears is right. We've been big fans of DJ Z-Trip for a while now. His hip hop classic rock mashups were pretty wild and fun. Perfect party music for sure. So anticipation was high for his major label debut and well, it's a lot different. Rumor has it that he wasn't able to clear all the samples so he had to go back and actually write and record a new record, not using samples, but actually playing the parts and coming up with the melodies and the riffs. Not sure if that's true but it certainly sounds like that could be the case. No other way to explain such a huge change in sound and feel. Not really sure how this will go over with the old school Z-Trip fans, who will no doubt be wanting more of that mashup madness. Instead you get a sort of DJ Shadow thing (but not quite as dark or intricate) crossed with a guest packed hip hop record (Jurassic 5, Lyrics Born, Murs, Chuck D, Aceyalone, Mystic...). And with a little bit of a modern super slick MTV commercial hip hop / nu-metal twist, due in no small part to the presence of Chester Bennington from Linkin Park, who emotes wildly on one track, and I bet that one's already an MTV hit. Definitely not the record fans were waiting for, but it will probably push him to that other level reserved for the likes of Gwen Stefani, Linkin Park, Jay-Z and all the rest. Just be prepared for that Z-Trip Cribs you know is coming!
MPEG Stream: "Listen To The DJ (featuring Soup of Jurassic 5)"MPEG Stream: "Walking Dead (featuring Chester Bennington)"

Z-TRIP & DJ PUneasy Listening, Volume Onecd 14.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.DJ Z-Trip and the rest of the Phoenix-based Bombshelter crew excel at mixing rock music into the hip hop subgenre of turntablism. Z-Trip has for years been performing his Monsters of Rock set, and you may have already heard him grind a little Black Sabbath into the hip hop on the famous track "Rock Star" from Return of the DJ, Volume 2. He does it so well and knows exactly how simultaneously sacrilegious and succesful his mixes are. On Uneasy Listening, you hear Sir Mix-a-lot with the Eagles, Naked Eyes and Public Enemy, Herbie Hancock and The Tubes, and most brilliantly -- Metallica with Midnight Oil. it goes on and on, with Ratt, Newcleus, Kansas, Cyndi Lauper, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Eurythmics, etc. Hip hop and breakbeats anchor the entire album, as well as assorted Yoda and other Star Wars samples. It's so entertaining and enlightening, you'll find yourself playing it for all your friends. Sure, it's a gimmick and a little hooked-on-classics-y but it's GOOD, just as good if not better than our other favorite turntablist storytellers Kid Koala and DJ Jester. As we said before, Uneasy Listening is super rare, we only know of a couple stores to whom Z-Trip brought the disc, and he will not be making any more after the thousand are gone. This is the last batch we'll ever have.
RealAudio clip: "sample 1"RealAudio clip: "sample 2"RealAudio clip: "sample 3"RealAudio clip: "sample 4"

Z-TRIP & RADARLive at the Future Primitive Soundsession, Volume Twocd 14.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.It's always heartening when the standout record of the week is a local production. The Future Primitive Soundsession has proved itself a turntablist event par excellence, consistently scheduled once every couple of months for the past year and a half, featuring heavyweight scratchers from all over the country. The Invisibl Skratch Piklz, Beat Junkies and the Cut Chemist are regularly scheduled, as well as the Bombshelter crew from Phoenix. It's simply one of the best parties in town; you'll find people of all shapes, sizes and races enjoying the music. This cd features Bombshelter talents Z-Trip and Radar who unashamedly make use of their '70s and '80s metal record collections (Pink Floyd, Boston) to delirious effect. Will appeal to hip hop AND rock lovers (imagine that!)

Z-TRIP / TERRACOTTA TROUPE / DELDynasty/Monster(Revolg) 12" 6.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.Shingo does it again. The local via Japan producer/rapper has brought together Del and the amazing DJ Z-Trip for an excellent hip hop party. Del raps on the straight up hip hop Dynasty track, while Z-trip offers a remix of Dynasty that strips out everything but the super loopy bass and heavy percussion. Shingo raps on the distortion-guitar-laced Monster, and the record also features instrumental versions and some bonus Z-trip breaks for scratching with. The packaging is excellent, as with all of Shingo's productions. Remember his first cd that came gorgeously packaged like a hardcover book, then there was his video that was made of cardboard not plastic (it still works), now there's this 12 which comes in a clear vinyl sleeve and includes a sticker sheet so you can apply the circle labels yourself to the record, plus stickers of a cartoon version of Del, and other characters. So cute, so good.

Z-TRIP, DJ , & TOM C.Monkey Breaks(Primeight) lp 12.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.This is a breaks record from Z-Trip (he of AQ-favorite song "Rockstar") and should be useful to DJs worldwide.

Z-TRIP, DJ / SKYJUICE(Ubiquity) 12" 5.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.Yay, Ubiquity's second release in their new split 12" series is another winner. You ought to remember the awesome Z-Trip from the last track on "Return of the DJ II" compilation (the one where he messes with Judas Priest and Black Sabbath and makes them sound like helicopters). Note that Skyjuice is one half odf the local duo Bugs.

Z-TRIP, DJ AND DJ EMILEBest Friends (The Long Lost Bombshelter Mix CD) cd 14.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.BACK IN STOCK!Awww. Best friends. And they're into Star Wars too! There's a pair of Stormtroopers in the cover photo as well as in the considerably more saucy pics inside (we can assume they're supposed to be Z-Trip and DJ Emile) and the disc art is of the Death Star, but that seems to be the extent of this release's Star Wars-iness. However, just as Star Wars fans are a somewhat obsessive breed, so too are fans of DJ acrobatics. If you count yourself among those legions (either specifically a fan of Z-Trip or of turntablism in general) then you know that the resurfacing of this long-lost mix is definitely a reason to celebrate. AWOL for eight years, these recordings have finally been rediscovered, remastered and released on cd. A very welcome, truly Z-Trippy release following his last, remarkably un-Z-Trippy (i.e, non-DJ, non-sampled) major label album Shifting Gears. Spine-tinglin' and ultra funky! Yes, this is why we dig him (and DJ Emile's sure no slouch either, going toe to toe with best bud Z-Trip in the Bombshelter)!
MPEG Stream: "track 6"MPEG Stream: "track 25"

ZA FRUMIChapter 2: Tach(Waerloga) cd 14.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.The return of the orcs!!! Chapter two in the musical tale of Uglach and his band of orcs. Here's a little of what we said about chapter one (which we also have in stock):"Much like a radio play, the whole drama is played out via dialogue, ambient sounds and incidental music....a musical story, utilising dark ambience, cinematic soundscapes, the sounds of life in the forest (sticks crackling, wind blowing, water splashing, swords clashing) and a litany of grunts and growls, which is the dialogue spoken entirely in orcish."Chapter two is heavier on the music (not heavier mind you, but containing more music), with less emphasis on battles and dialogue, sounding much more medieval and almost renaissance faire-ish at times (although fear not, there is still plenty of orcish being grunted, as well as the occasional unsheathing of swords). Flutes, hand drums, jaw harp, and didgeridoos are woven into fantastical soundscapes, evoking forests, caves and times of yore. In fact, according to the liner notes, much of the record actually -was- recorded in forests and caves (as well as lakes, rivers and a castle). Those of you who need another Lord Of The Rings fix before film number two might find what you're looking for with Za Frumi. If you don't have the first one, you might want to start there, but if you're anything like us, you'll have to get both!!
RealAudio clip: "Bug Selrath"RealAudio clip: "Shadapon"RealAudio clip: "Za Shapaukatar Shapol"

ZA FRUMIChapter 3: Shrak Ishi Za Migul(Waerloga) cd 14.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.It's been a long wait, but now, after 5 years, we return to the ongoing saga of Uglach and his band of Orcs. You heard us, Orcs! We know some of you have been waiting like a kid at Christmas for the next installment. But those of you who are new to the wonderful world of Za Frumi, are in for a treat. An entire world, a wild cast of characters, most of them Orcs, the entire drama played out like a radio play, complete with the sounds of battle, music, and most importantly dialogue. Yep, dialogue. Except for brief passages in Dark Elf, all delivered in actual Orcish (aka Black speech). Where as chapter 2 was heavier on the music with much less focus on the story and thus less dialogue, chapter three is all about the story, tons of action, loads of dialogue, all printed in the cd booklet too so you can follow along. And it's not necessary to have heard the first two chapters to get into chapter 3, as Uglach recalls the events of the first two chapters at the beginning of the disc (although the speech is in Orcish).The music is cool too, heavy on the brooding dark ambient, with rumbling drones, and haunting melodies, simple martial drumming, epic sweeping strings, occasionally the music slips into a more sort of Renaissance Faire sort of folk, but as the majority of the story is a tale of death and destruction, war and revenge, the music is suitably dark. And even if you have no interest in the fate of the Orcs, or the life of Uglach and his friends, or the story at all, purely as a sound document, Shrak Ishi Za Migul is a captivating listen, equal parts, radio drama, soundtrack, field recording and high concept art piece. So good. It had been so long since we had visited Uglach's world, we had almost forgotten how bracing it was, what a dangerous and vicarious thrill it was to ride alongside the Orcs in battle, to grieve the dead, to drink and sup, and to luxuriate in the epic and majestic sounds of the mighty Za Frumi!!
MPEG Stream: "Intro"MPEG Stream: "Baurukat (Imprisoned)"MPEG Stream: "Margim Iz Za Kala (Escape From The Keep)"

ZA FRUMILegends Act 1(Waerloga) cd 14.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.Why get Enya for the Lord Of The Rings movies when there is a perfectly good, dwarf/orc obsessed combo, composing dark, vaguely rennaissance faire-ish dark ambient soundscapes that would work PERECTLY. And I'm sure they're cheaper than Enya. And come on. When you think Ring Wraiths and Golem and all that, do you think 'this would go great with some new age music'? Neither do we. So come on Peter Jackson, here's your chance to add some credibility to the LOTR soundtrack/score for part three!! COME ON!!! Anyway Za Frumi are a Swedish group who create fantastical worlds with orcs and dwarves and battles and journeys and all the D&D stuff we love. Their classic remains their debut record Za Shum Ushatar Uglakh where dark and ominous soundscapes were peppered with dialogue (IN ORCISH!!!) as well as battles and celebrations. Really strange and totally appealing. Their second disc didn't move us as much as the first, and while Legends is not necessarily a "return to form" we do like it a lot more than the last one. The focus is still on the music, having apparently discarded the dialogue and sound effects completely, which is fine, but unfortunately it moves Za Frumi from that niche where they were basically the ONLY band doing what they were doing, to the more populated field of Cold Meat / dark ambient. Fans of Dead Can Dance, Summoning Moon Lay Hidden Beneath A Cloud, Empyrium and other dark ambient will dig this a lot!! Very dark and cinematic and quite pretty, in an ominous sort of way. Rumour has it that they're working on a new record about vampires! Here's hoping it's as weird a record as we know they're capable of making!

ZA FRUMILegends Act 2: Vampires(Waerloga) cd 14.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.Our pals in Za Frumi seem to have said all they need to say about the world of the Orcs. After three discs, it was just time to move on. On to what you ask? Well, Vampires obviously. So utilising the same sonic pallet, soaring strings, flutes, midi orchestration, martial drums, and ambient soundscapes, Za Frumi explore the lives of two legendary vampires, Jakesh and Rianji. This is quite possibly our favorite Za Frumi since the first Orc record. That record, Za Shum Ushatar Uglakh, was split evenly between music and the sounds of the Orcs, battles, arguments, war cries, etc. And we were a more than a little bummed when they shed the 'dialogue' and battle sounds in favor or a pure musical picture. But this first Vampire disc, the music is dark and mysterious, creepy and compelling. A heady mix of renaissance faire minstrel music, horror movie soundtrack, gypsy folk, video game music (not like blips and bleeps but those Silent Hill / House Of The Dead / Resident Evil sort of super suspenseful background soundscapes) and dark ambience. Haunted house organs, operatic female vocals, classical piano, horns and flutes, swirling strings, galloping horses, chirping crickets, ghostly disembodied voices, minor key melodies, and all sorts of military drums, tablas and various percussion coalesce into one seriously mysterious creepy crawl through the world of the Vampires!
MPEG Stream: "Through Jakesh Eyes"MPEG Stream: "The Cult Of Rianji"

ZA FRUMIZa Shum Ushatar Uglakh(Tarki) cd 14.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.Let me preface this review by mentioning that Allan has never read The Lord Of The Rings (even with his extensive D&D experience...hmmm).Za Frumi is a group of Swedish musicians, disenchanted with the black metal scene, and the music scene in general, who were compelled to look elsewhere for the magic and mystery they felt was lacking in modern music. The result is 'Za Shum Ushatar Uglakh', a musical tale of a clan of orcs and their battle against a mighty vampire lord! That's right, orcs. The story goes like this (from the liner notes):"Join the epic voyage of the orc leader Uglakh and his compatriots. Their adventure begins in the deep lustrous forest filled with the sounds of the wild and the roar of a great fire. Around it sit the Uruki Uglach, awaiting the mysterious primal dance of their shaman. The morning after, the uruks, compelled by their mystic shamans advice to Uglach, attack an old castle. After the raid, the subservient Golug Fachtal and his more adventurous kinsmen Yagui forage the forest, and set out to build a watch tower. After a frustrated argument about a toadstool, the wet Yagul and the other orcs begin building a tower, while the dagalush Knish and his kapuli friend go further afield, and find a deep sea beach, where the melodious elves are making sweet music. Later, we join the clans march during a night filled with wonder. They press constantly on, sometimes marching, sometimes sneaking. After a short stroll in the forest, Uglakh and his clansmen happen upon the dark, brooding castle of the dreaded vampire Ismael. The journey through his dark castle has two parts, with mysterious subterranean chanting and majestic orchestral sounds. They face many perils there, and end in the final battle with Ismael in his greatest chamber."Much like a radio play, the whole drama is played out via dialogue (more on that later), ambient sounds and incidental music.So simply as a musical story, utilising dark ambience, cinematic soundscapes, the sounds of life in the forest (sticks crackling, wind blowing, water splashing, swords clashing) and a litany of grunts and growls, which is the dialogue spoken entirely in orcish (for real! -- a handy translation is included in the booklet for those not fluent in the tongue). It's really interesting and quite entertaining.But the music, taken on its own, is quite an epic dronescape (albiet littered with very un-drone like segments). 'Za Shum...' is a strange mix of dark rumbles and throbbing pulses, simple clattery rhythms and tribal workouts, grunting and growling and roaring (that could be electronic rumbles or misplaced death metal vocalists if you didn't already know it was orcs) and the occasional folky flute interlude. Imagine the No Neck Blues Band jamming with Jonathan Coleclough or Andrew Chalk, with Chris Barnes (Cannibal Corpse) or Glenn Benton (Deicide) grunting the dialogue with the Thai Elephant Orchestra as their rhythm section. It's that weird. It's that cool.
RealAudio clip: "Nudertogat"RealAudio clip: "Za Shulg"RealAudio clip: "Za Kala"RealAudio clip: "Dushatar"

ZABRISKIE POINT(OST)(Rhino) 2cd 32.00THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.After raving about the recent vinyl reissue of this (still in stock) we figured we'd rave as well about the also-available cd version... First off, if you haven't seen Zabriskie Point, close your email right now and go down to the video store and rent it. You won't regret it. Okay, so now the soundtrack. Reissued on cd in a gorgeous shimmery sort of 3-D slipcase with a whole disc of extras (more on that later), this soundtrack was originally released in 1970 and features some seriously twisted stuff. The most noteworthy being a handful of tracks recorded by Pink Floyd specifically for the film. Tripped out, meandering and spacy, organs and heartbeat-like throbs, found sounds and haunting voices, only occasionally coalescing into recognizable Pink Floyd. Worth it for those tracks alone. But there are also plenty of juicy sixties nuggets from the Youngbloods (which got Andee to go out and get a couple Youngbloods records), the Grateful Dead, John Fahey, the Kaleidoscope (the US band featuring David Lindley, not the British psychedelic group we reviewed a few months back), Roscoe Holcomb, as well as the first solo recordings from the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia. All of these tracks work so well together even away from the film, sort of like the best sixties psych/folk/Appalachia/hippy mix tape you could hope for. And -with- the film, well, it's absolutely perfect. Lots of liner notes and original art and a WHOLE EXTRA DISC of unreleased outtakes. Two extra Pink Floyd tracks as well as two alternate versions, and over a half hour of bonus improvisations by Jerry Garcia recorded just for the film. So cool. This is definitely so essential.
MPEG Stream: THE PINK FLOYD "Heart Beat, Pig Meat"MPEG Stream: THE YOUNGBLOODS "Sugar Babe"MPEG Stream: THE PINKFLOYD "Come In Number 51, Your Time Is Up"

ZABRISKIE POINT (OST)(4 Men With Beards) lp 17.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.First off, if you haven't seen Zabriskie Point, close your email right now and go down to the video store and rent it. You won't regret it. Okay, so now the soundtrack. Reissued in a gorgeous gatefold sleeve on heavy 180 gram vinyl, this soundtrack was originally released in 1970 and features some seriously twisted stuff. The most noteworthy being a handful of tracks recorded by Pink FLoyd specifically for the film. Tripped out, meandering and spacy, organs and heartbeat-like throbs, found sounds and haunting voices, only occasionally coalescing into recognizable Pink Floyd. Worth it for those tracks alone. But there are also plenty of juicy sixties nuggets from the Youngbloods (which got Andee to go out and get a couple Youngbloods records), the Grateful Dead, John Fahey, the Kaleidoscope (the US band featuring David Lindley, not the British psychedelic group we reviewed a few months back), Roscoe Holcomb, as well as the first solo recordings from the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia. All of these tracks work so well together even away from the film, sort of like the best sixties psych/folk/Appalachia/hippy mix tape you could hope for. And -with- the film, well, it's absolutely perfect. This vinyl reissue comes with extra photos and new liner notes.
MPEG Stream: THE PINK FLOYD "Heart Beat, Pig Meat"MPEG Stream: THE YOUNGBLOODS "Sugar Babe"MPEG Stream: THE PINKFLOYD "Come In Number 51, Your Time Is Up"

ZABRODZKI, PIOTR & TATSUYA YOSHIDAKarakany(Vivo) cd 14.98Drummer Tatsuya Yoshida from Japanese prog-crazies the Ruins teams up with Polish pianist Piotr Zabrodzki for these sixteen tracks of advanced "jazz" insanity, recently recorded in Warsaw. We'd never heard of Zabrodzki before, but he more than holds his own with the notoriously hyperkinetic Yoshida, playing distorted bass as well as piano (at the same time? sounds like it -- must be overdubbed, though you never know with a Yoshida project, as he's able to play, like, a half dozen instruments and sing all at the same time, so maybe his friends can too!). The duo's presumably improvised music wildly ranges along an extremely spastically noisy to almost classically jazzy continuum. They attain appropriately Ruins-y levels of Magmoid prog-ness (the throbbing bass pulsations! the octopoidal percussion frenzies!) punctuated with some gargling vocals from Yoshida. The ivories are tickled unto death by Zabrodzki, who plays with "Great Balls Of Fire" ferocity, fractured into the avantgarde abstraction of a Cecil Taylor. It's all very chaotic and complex, manic yet melodic. And meaningful? Maybe, we're puzzled by the African imagery found in the cd packaging, how does that fit with the quasi-scientific sounding song titles ("Permanent Beta Power", "Tri-Command Connector", "Oxymoron 9", "Micronode Examination", "Quick-Core", etc.), or the Poland/Japan connection also celebrated in the cd graphics with the flags of both countries? Who knows, but anyway Ruins/Yoshida fans should dig this, it's another in a long line of interesting, intense duets in which the drummer has taken part. Satoko Fuji is probably jealous.
MPEG Stream: "Bei-Bar"MPEG Stream: "Rat-Tiristor Noise"

ZAHIR, AHMADHip 70's Afghan Beats!(Guerssen) cd 17.98If you've been diggin' the vintage Turkish psych/pop of the Erkin Koray and Cem Karaca discs we've highlighted recently, here's something else for you, quite similar though it's from a bit further to the East... The title they've chosen for this collection would do as a review of it, in a nutshell: "Hip '70s Afghan Beats!" Indeed. Amhad Zahir was a popular Afghan singer, and these tracks, culled from his prodigious discography, are rife with emotive deep voiced crooning, exotic folk flourishes, and East-meets-West stylings (electric wah wah guitar, and tabla too!).The liner notes (which could have done with an extra round of copy-editing, we're afraid) provide a brief biography of Zahir, who tragically was assassinated in 1979, at the age of 33, by Afghanistan's communist regime, on account of his political beliefs. Before his death, though, he had become hugely popular, and nowadays is apparently still considered a legend, one of Afghanistan's biggest recording stars. Of course, to us ignorant Westerners, he's quite obscure. We can only trust that the unnamed compiler has indeed chosen the "best of" Zahir's output; these tracks sound good to us, anyway! Infectious, hypnotic, moody, with groovy horns, traditional melodies, and reverb-heavy rhythms, it's all quite enjoyable.
MPEG Stream: "Instrumental"MPEG Stream: "Laily Laily"MPEG Stream: "Che Kelaf Sar Lad Az Mah"

ZAHIR, AHMADHip 70's Afghan Beats!(Guerssen) lp 28.00If you've been diggin' the vintage Turkish psych/pop of the Erkin Koray and Cem Karaca discs we've highlighted recently, here's something else for you, quite similar though it's from a bit further to the East... The title they've chosen for this collection would do as a review of it, in a nutshell: "Hip '70s Afghan Beats!" Indeed. Amhad Zahir was a popular Afghan singer, and these tracks, culled from his prodigious discography, are rife with emotive deep voiced crooning, exotic folk flourishes, and East-meets-West stylings (electric wah wah guitar, and tabla too!).The liner notes (which could have done with an extra round of copy-editing, we're afraid) provide a brief biography of Zahir, who tragically was assassinated in 1979, at the age of 33, by Afghanistan's communist regime, on account of his political beliefs. Before his death, though, he had become hugely popular, and nowadays is apparently still considered a legend, one of Afghanistan's biggest recording stars. Of course, to us ignorant Westerners, he's quite obscure. We can only trust that the unnamed compiler has indeed chosen the "best of" Zahir's output; these tracks sound good to us, anyway! Infectious, hypnotic, moody, with groovy horns, traditional melodies, and reverb-heavy rhythms, it's all quite enjoyable.
MPEG Stream: "Instrumental"MPEG Stream: "Laily Laily"MPEG Stream: "Che Kelaf Sar Lad Az Mah"

ZAIMPHDeath Blooming Pleasure(No Fun) lp 16.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.Here's a particularly nasty slab of vinyl from Marcia Bassett, formerly of Hototogisu and Double Leopards, and still the pilot behind Zaimph. There have been varying shades of grey to black for Zaimph with some of her work shifting toward the delirious tonal ragas of early Vibracathedral Orchestra, and with other pieces having all of the subtly of a slab of meat hitting a concrete floor. Even set against some of the bleaker works of her past, Death Blooming Pleasure is an ominous crawl through broken glass, rat shit, and sewage scum. Yeah, it's really dark. Had the first track "Great Are The Riches Hidden In Tribulation" been coupled with blastbeats, it could easily double as a cult black metal track, as Bassett sets forth a buzzsaw drone drone stitched crudely from churning hiss, electrical errata, and very lo-fi slabs of barely melodic noise. Throughout this track, she snarls and growls with the cruel, blood-curdling intentions of Dead Raven Choir's Smolken. The second piece cranks up the volume and dynamics through the clusters of noise, pulling away from the black metal references but neverless maintains a devastating ill-spirit. The flipside "As Well In Death" sets that buzzsaw drone to zombie trance with Marcia singing a bizarrely atonal chorale that's half Jandek and half Fursaxa, but fully creepy. Here, Zaimph recalls a classic number from the Nurse With Wound songbook "Fashioned To A Device Behind A Tree" while summoning those blackened noise projects Gnaw Their Tongues and Blue Sabbath Black Cheer. One of those hyper limited edition LPs from No Fun. Just 300 in print, but not for long!

ZAIMPHEmblem(Heavy Blossom) cd 14.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.Yet another missive from Zaimph, the one woman noise/drone outfit helmed by Marcia Bassett, she of Hototogisu, Double Leopards, GHQ and loads more. As Zaimph, Bassett can be pretty unpredictable, dabbling in blissed out Sunroof! style ragas, cripplingly brutal white hot noise, or super subdued minimal ambience, although she does tend toward the noisy heavy side of things.Emblem is no different, definitely noisy, and heavy, not to mention textural, expansive, gritty, buzzy and psychedelic. Two long tracks, the first, clocking in at about 10 minutes, is based on a growling guttural grinding low end foundation, what sounds like a guitar tuned so low it sort of rumbles and whirs, creating a gristly fuzzy drone, over which, all sorts of disembodied melodies and fractured harmonies soar and swoop, wreathed in effects, and heavily distorted, the sky above is filled with streaks of crumbling feedback, whirring clouds of hiss and scrape and amp buzz, but always grounded by that churning undulating low end short circuited drone beneath.The second track, a nearly half hour epic, is not so corrosive, beginning with some languid raga-like buzz, a warm whir drifting in a wide open expanse of barely there shimmer, very dreamy and mesmerizing, other instruments join in, but only swirl gently around each other, a loosely woven midnight sky full of reverberating strings and moaning melodies. It's not until about 20 minutes in, that things get any wilder, and even then, it's just a matter of several of those buzzing melodies becoming ensconced in warbly effects and super charged a bit, upping the intensity, but remaining hypnotic and trancelike, eventually building to a glorious harmonic coda, the tones floating and drifting majestically over a softly swirling sea of sweet sweet buzz and drone.Beautifully packaged, in an oversized black cardstock sleeve, with metallic silver ink. And be warned, we've actually had these for a while, so as they're not new, they might be tough to restock when we run out.
MPEG Stream: "One"

ZAIMPHLive Hasselt(Heavy Blossom) cd-r 11.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.One of two new releases from the strangely named Zaimph, which just so happens to be the monicker Marcia Bassett, of Hototogisu, GHQ and Double Leopards fame, uses for her solo noise and guitar explorations.As we mention in the other review, the sound of Zaimph, and Bassett's projects in general can range from soft and lovely to not soft at all and not so lovely, dabbling in noise, psych, drone and raga, often melding all of those into one single organic whole.For this disc, a 30 minute live set recorded in 2006, after some strange smooth jazz over the house PA and what seems to be a recording of Bassett setting up, things get rolling with a cloud of dark metallic shimmer, that spreads and oozes and envelops the crowd in a soft swirl of whirling effects and blurred drones, eventually, the sound shifts gears and the guitar (at least we think it's a guitar) becomes more caustic, more metallic, the sound more buzzy and sharp, almost like a buzz saw playing out some subtly melodic drone, the sound billowing into thick swells of grind and skree, before slipping back into a deep minimal hum, and beginning the slow build to the eventual cathartic explosion of guitarnoise and fractured FX freakout that finishes the set.Heavy and noisy, will definitely hit the spot for folks who dig the meaner side of Hototogisu and Matthew Bower's old Total project. Super limited cd-r, that we've had for a while, so there's a good chance these might be the last copies we can get.
MPEG Stream: "Live Hasselt (excerpt)"

ZAIMPHMirage Of The Other(Gipsy Sphinx) lp 14.98We were ready for another blast of blissed out free noise from Zaimph, the one woman outfit of one Marcia Bassett who spends most of her noisemaking days crouched over a mess of guitars and broken FX pedals in Hototogisu with Matthew Bower or in the Double Leopard. But instead we were treated to a strangely tranquil drone record, no sudden bursts of acidic feedback, no sheets of corrosive guitar crumble, instead, this is two long sides of deep dark low end soundscapes, both ominous and lovely.Moaning far away guitars shimmer and whir, abstract melodies drift in and out of the murky rumble. A dreamy muddy sonic swirl. Thick layers of looped riffs smeared into warm blurs, crumble and slowly decay, while the overtones throb and pulse, creating minimal almost rhythms, while melodic fragments hover and whirl, drifting just below the surface.Side 2 is a side long black fog, billows of soft shimmering low end, slowly spread out wrapping their warm tendrils around everything within reach, filling your ears with soft black fuzz, creepy and haunting and dark, but sort of luminous and dreamlike, and almost pretty!Super thick full color paste on sleeves, full color card stock inserts and super nice thick vinyl!

ZAIMPHSexual Infinity(Hospital) cd 11.98Another batch of ambient free noise guitar explorations from Ms. Marcia Bassett, who when not playing in the Double Leopards, GHQ and of course Hototogisu, somehow manages to find time to also record as Zaimph. Sexual Infinity starts off super dreamy, a brief drift through some spacious, cavernous underworld, thick strands of echoey guitars, tons of reverb, a surprisingly tranquil subterranean drift. But it doesn't stay tranquil for long. Well, that's not entirely true, it's just a different sort of tranquil from there on out. The rumbling shimmering low end is traded in for some grinding, pulsing, shrieking, crumbling feedback. At first it does sound harsh, but closer listening reveals feedback as melody, with the tones and timbre and overtones, shifting and twisting, sometimes a clear streak of shiny brightness, other times a harsh scrabbly charged crackle. But before we can get used to the wild Haino-style amp experiments, Bassett shifts gears back again into a murky, looped shimmer, fuzzy and staticky, a whirring whirling swirl of guitar fuzz, smeared into a prickly buzz, a strangely peaceful, but still thick and roiling ambience. The record sort of shifts back and forth, between shadow and light, low end rumble and buzz, and upper register screech and skree, but each definitely compliments the other, and demonstrating Bassett's deft hand and sculpting unruly sound, even at its most harsh, is still strangely beautiful. The final track is the perfect blend of both elements, a strangely metallic, Earth / SUNNO))) style dirge, thick fuzzy waves of grinding crunchy guitar growl wrapped in thick swirls of buzz and hiss and fuzz. Cool.
MPEG Stream: "Signal Aggression"MPEG Stream: "Lamination"

ZAIMPHUnfolded Gold(Heavy Blossom) cd-r 11.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.Another blast of homespun free noise from Marcia Bassett of the Double Leopards, Hototogisu, GHQ and many more. Released on Hototogisu's Heavy Blossom label, this super limited cd-r, is another dark trawl through a noise strewn alley, processed synths, looped feedback, and ultra distorted vocals are stretched into wide dirty streaks of pulsing distorted sound, a throbbing rhythm surfaces from within the vocal murk, while strange scrapes and grunts become some sort of percussive framework, huge sheets of dog whistle skree leaned up against distant foghorn drone and moaning freenoise whir, grinding instrument grit and electronic malfunction drift into ghose like vestiges of song and melody. As always pretty darn great. Packaged in a handmade foldover paper sleeve with insert. And as always VERY VERY LIMITED!! (only 100 copies and we got but a handful!)
MPEG Stream: "Voice Strands"MPEG Stream: "U.S.A. Idiom"

ZAIMPH & YEK KOOL'interieur De La Vue(Obsolete Units) cassette 4.98

ZAKARYAs/t(Tzadik) cd 16.98More tradition-challenging avant-garde Jewish music on the Tzadik label, this project being by Parisian Yves Weyh and band (accordion, electric guitar, bass and percussion).

ZALATNAY, SAROLTAs/t(B-Music / Finders Keepers) cd 16.98THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.You know this is gonna be good -- from the same dedicated diggers at B-music/Finders Keepers that brought us the Anatolian Invasion of Selda and Mustafa Ozkent, the freak-folk of Susan Christie, the dreamscape soundtrack for Valerie And Her Week Of Wonders, etc., comes this "best of" collection from beautiful Hungarian singer Sarolta "Cini" Zalatnay, from the late '60s, early '70s. An obscure cult figure elsewhere, in her native country Zalatnay remains famous, a liberated Socialist-era sex symbol known for her scandalous personal life. DJ Andy Votel's extensive liner notes allude to all the shocking details. Fascinating as her story is (at age 54 she posed for Hungarian Playboy, has appeared on a Hungarian hidden-camera "reality TV" show, and was given a three-year prison sentence for fraud!) it's her breaks-friendly music that gets the B-music crowd all turned on. And while the 19 tracks here include some lovely pastoral pop and torchy ballads, it's her specialty of groovy, psychedelic hard rock wherein the best breaks are to be found. And there's plenty of that here. Yep, cow-bell rockin', acid guitar fueled hard rock, the ideal setting for her to let loose with her powerful voice, which draws comparisons to Janis Joplin (an impression reinforced here by one of the English-language bonus tracks, a cover of Joplin's "Move Over"). Plus the funky drumming and wah wah fuzz guitar licks are enough to make DJ-types drool. We're reminded a bit of Funkadelic vocalist Ruth Copeland's solo material, and the more kick-ass Shocking Blue cuts...good stuff!This anthology brings together tracks from impossible to find LPs and singles, released by Cini as a solo artist as well as when she fronted such bands as Locomotiv GT and Skorpio. As usual the cd booklet is heavily illustrated with full color repros of the cover art from some of these treasures.
MPEG Stream: "Itt A Nyar"MPEG Stream: "Sracok Oh Sracok"

ZALATNAY, SAROLTAs/t(B-Music / Finders Keepers) lp 24.00Now available on vinyl!!You know this is gonna be good -- from the same dedicated diggers at B-music/Finders Keepers that brought us the Anatolian Invasion of Selda and Mustafa Ozkent, the freak-folk of Susan Christie, the dreamscape soundtrack for Valerie And Her Week Of Wonders, etc., comes this "best of" collection from beautiful Hungarian singer Sarolta "Cini" Zalatnay, from the late '60s, early '70s. An obscure cult figure elsewhere, in her native country Zalatnay remains famous, a liberated Socialist-era sex symbol known for her scandalous personal life. DJ Andy Votel's extensive liner notes allude to all the shocking details. Fascinating as her story is (at age 54 she posed for Hungarian Playboy, has appeared on a Hungarian hidden-camera "reality TV" show, and was given a three-year prison sentence for fraud!) it's her breaks-friendly music that gets the B-music crowd all turned on. And while the 19 tracks here include some lovely pastoral pop and torchy ballads, it's her specialty of groovy, psychedelic hard rock wherein the best breaks are to be found. And there's plenty of that here. Yep, cow-bell rockin', acid guitar fueled hard rock, the ideal setting for her to let loose with her powerful voice, which draws comparisons to Janis Joplin (an impression reinforced here by one of the English-language bonus tracks, a cover of Joplin's "Move Over"). Plus the funky drumming and wah wah fuzz guitar licks are enough to make DJ-types drool. We're reminded a bit of Funkadelic vocalist Ruth Copeland's solo material, and the more kick-ass Shocking Blue cuts...good stuff!This anthology brings together tracks from impossible to find LPs and singles, released by Cini as a solo artist as well as when she fronted such bands as Locomotiv GT and Skorpio. As usual the cd booklet is heavily illustrated with full color repros of the cover art from some of these treasures.
MPEG Stream: "Itt A Nyar"MPEG Stream: "Sracok Oh Sracok"

ZAMIR, DANNYSatlah(Tzadik) cd 15.98Satlah are a young NYC jazz trio led by Israeli immigrant Danny Zamir, a 19-year old sax player and composer. Championed by Tzadik-boss John Zorn (whose alto sax appears on three tracks here) for obvious reasons: Satlah aren't far from the sort of "New Jewish Music" epitomized by Zorn's own, reknowned Masada quartet. Allan had the pleasure of seeing these guys play a free show in the bar at the Knitting Factory in New York not long ago and declares that this recording captures the intensity, beauty and playfulness that the trio demonstrated live. Mixing traditional Jewish motifs (and instrumentation) into a hard-blowing jazz power trio format with great success, Satlah are of course recommended to Masada fans...

ZAMLA MAMMAZ MANNASchlagerns Mystik / For Aldre Nybegynnare(Silence) 2cd 22.00RECENTLY REPRESSED, CHEAPER NOW TOO!This curious double LP (now double cd) release was the fifth album from Zamla Mammaz Manna (formerly having been known as Samla Mammas Manna). Fronted by multi-instrumentalist Lars Hollmer, they are probably most known for their work as the backing band on half of Fred Frith's "Gravity" album. The two discs that make up this album reside on opposite ends of the group's musical spectrum. The strangest thing is the fact that they've always been packaged together as a set, not just as a strange reissue whim of the record label. "Schlagerns Mystik" (The Mystery of Popular Music), recorded in 1977, is an extremely off-kilter pop record; a hodge podge of Swedish folk & prog rock fused in a most unlikely & successful way. Filled with double-speed vocal over dubs, the record almost sounds like a children's record gone wrong thanks to drugs, or a far, far less self-conscious Frank Zappa. The closing track, which originally took up the entire b-side of the LP, is an uber-cheesy anthem which would make a great theme song to some early eighties TV show. Listening to this back to back with Frith's "Gravity" sheds a little light into Fred's inspiration on his seminal prog-pop record. The other disc, "For Aldre Nybegynnare" (For Older Beginners), consists of live improvisations recorded by the group between 1976 and 1977. Ranging between brooding, dark and droney atmospherics to call-and-response skronk, though at times plowing into light proggy excursions. Glad to have this back in stock again.
MPEG Stream: "Proffesion Is the Amateur's Glue"MPEG Stream: "Little Karin"MPEG Stream: "Short Inheritance"

ZAMMUTOWillscher(Apartment B ) cd 11.98Apartment B (loose affiliates with Lucky Kitchen in the mutant corners of electronica) has given a proper release to this album from Nick Zammuto after its original release as a cdr. With a number of post-rock starting points (multiple bass harmonics, motorik pulse hypnosis, lust for 70s German electronics), Zammuto constructs a rhythmically bubbling sound by broadcasting these sounds through a construction of PVC pipes, and sampled the results for hard-disc editing. As if Fridge's percussive grooves and Noto's slow constructions of sine wave oscillation had a meeting of minds. Hrvatski endorsed.

ZANES, WARREN33 1/3 Series: Dusty In Memphis(Continuum) book 9.95THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.Finally got a new batch of these amazing books, tailor made for us music geeks. Super in depth examinations of some of our favorite records! The cool thing is that they're not just the same old rehashed stories about the bands or artists, and who they slept with and where they grew up (although we like those too!), instead they're about the creation of those specific albums. The writers go really deep into every facet of the creation. The writing is often quite dense and so informative. Like a Mojo article expanded a hundred fold! We wanted to give each one an in depth review, but they are all so good and they keep coming fast and furious so we figured we oughta just list em. Basically, if you love the record, you're definitely gonna want the book! Also got the Joe Pernice Meat Is Murder book back in stock as well as Andrew Hulktrans's book about Love's masterpiece Forever Changes. And if you're anything like the music geeks here, you're gonna want all of em! Future volumes include My Bloody Valentine's Loveless, Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures, Radiohead's OK Computer, Jethro Tull's Aqualung.

ZANGENEH, PARIThe Series Of Music For Young Adults: Iranian Folk Songs(Tehran / KS) cd 25.00Folk-psych masterpiece out of Teheran, Iran circa 1976. With incredibly rich instrumentation and orchestration as a backdrop, Pari Zangeneh's voice soars with such soft strength. We're reminded a lot of some of the amazing psych gems from Turkey that we've dug so much like Mogollar and Selda but with less funk in the mix and much more lush folk running through the sound. In fact, Zangeneh sounds quite a bit like a Persian version of Vashti Bunyan at times, albeit with a bit more bravado and color in her delivery. She is still performing all these years later, and while this record is now over three decades old it still sounds so timeless and compelling. We imagine modern day psych-folksters like White Magic, Espers, and Dungen would find tons of inspiration in these mystical and delightful sounds, we sure do!
MPEG Stream: "Aye Laili"MPEG Stream: "Mastom, Mastom"MPEG Stream: "Asmar Asmar DJan"

ZAOThe Funeral Of God(Ferret) cd 13.98Metalcore has such a seemingly stringent set of sonic rules, that it's hard to know what to say about a great metalcore record. Or how to explain what differentiates this record from a more inferior one. But let's give it a try. Since this is actually a really amazing record, and is a whole lot better than most of the metalcore we hear these days. Zao are the rarest beast in metal circles... a Christian metal band. And a GREAT Christian metal band at that. The last Christian metal band we totally dug would have to be...umm...oh yeah, that's right, STRYPER!! Fear not though, no matching outfits, or Christmas singles or soaring falsetto vocals. This is downtuned, pummelling, crushing super dynamic, heavy-as-fuck METAL. With just enough melody (and of course the occasional emo breakdown to ensure some MTV play) to keep it catchy and interesting. A dense and emotional concept album based on the idea of what would happen if man lost sight of God so completely that He just disappeared. Cool concept. Insane double bass drumming, howled maniacal vocals, and some amazing riffs (some distinctly Voivod-ish moments too which is always a good thing) make this one of the best metalcore records we've heard in a while, since the last Converge, maybe. And definitely the best Christian metal band we've heard in forever. At least since Stryper!
MPEG Stream: "Breath Of The Black Muse"MPEG Stream: "The Rising End (The First Prophecy)"